The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) said it is fast-tracking the registration of hand sanitizers to ensure their availability on the market.

In a statement copied to the GNA, it has advised the public to only use the Authority’s registered hand sanitizers, which were effective against the COVID-19 Virus.

It advised the public to check the expiry dates on hand sanitizers before buying them.

Globally, the FDA said, there was no medicine approved for the treatment of the COVID-19 pandemic.

It would, however, announce any approved medicine as they became available.

It gave the list of registered hand sanitizers as: Spaklean Bubbles Sanitizers, Kleanz hand sanitizer, Pure Klenz hand sanitizer, Steri-7 Biocidal hand sanitizer, Purell hand Sanitizer, Soha Sanitizer Jeswe hand sanitizer, Equi Clean hand sanitizer and Deva Max Antibacterial hand sanitizer.

The rest are: Bgclean Instant hand sanitizer, Bactigel Instant Hand sanitizer, Dowford hand sanitizer, Pharmaderm hand sanitizer, Higeen Antibacterial hand sanitizer, Bling Hand sanitizer, Forever hand sanitizer and Bling hand sanitizer, Sivoderm hand sanitizer.

Ghana has so far recorded six confirmed cases of COVID-19 and as parts of efforts to combat the disease, health professionals have among others, recommended the use of hand sanitizers.

This led to a mad rush for the disinfectant, causing a short-term shortage with hike in prices and the introduction of some unapproved products on the market.

It has been recommended that hand sanitizers with at least 70 per cent of alcohol is appropriate to prevent the infection of the novel coronavirus upon exposure.